1. Field
At least one example embodiment may relate generally to walking assistance methods. At least one example embodiment may relate generally to apparatuses performing the walking assistance methods.
2. Description of Related Art
With the onset of rapidly aging societies, many people may experience inconvenience and pain from joint problems, and interest in walking assistance apparatuses enabling the elderly or patients with joint problems to walk with less effort may increase. Furthermore, walking assistance apparatuses for intensifying muscular strength of human bodies may be useful for military purposes.
In general, walking assistance apparatuses may include body frames disposed on a trunk of a user, pelvic frames coupled to lower sides of the body frames to cover pelvises of the user, femoral frames disposed on thighs of the user, sural frames disposed on calves of the user, and/or pedial frames disposed on feet of the user. The pelvic frames and femoral frames may be connected rotatably by hip joint portions, the femoral frames and sural frames may be connected rotatably by knee joint portions, and/or the sural frames and pedial frames may be connected rotatably by ankle joint portions.
The users may wear the walking assistance apparatuses over the users' clothing.
Although some example embodiments will be described with relation to walking assistance methods and walking assistance apparatuses for humans, those skilled in the art will appreciate that some example embodiments may be applied to other types of methods, apparatuses, and systems, such as motion assistance methods and motion assistance apparatuses for animals, or more general purpose systems.